Inspired by Cornelia Selover, the Rite of Spring exhibition in November provided great impetus to the development of the Events Room Gallery. The new gallery adds an art filled ambience to meetings, workshops, games nights and celebrations held in the events room.. It was pleasing to see red dots gradually appearing during the exhibition. In early December Tim Bowtell's 'Rite of Spring' poster artwork and Deb Dodd's beautiful mosaic'd 'Fiesta for my Feathered Friends' bird bath (pictured) were both happily purchased and farewelled .

Music has reemerged at NEA over the past month or so, with the Bow N Tell Brothers playing in the Foyer Gallery at the Rite of Spring opening; Cobblestone, Kat and Rat, Michaela, and Erin featuring at NEA's Christmas Party and Carla and Tim Gardner's 25th wedding anniversary party recently, with Russell responding to an 'Open Mic' call up at the Christmas party singing lively sea shanties. Michaela has offered to become involved in planning future music events at NEA. Thanks, Michaela.

​New digital speakers which can be tethered to phone play lists have led to enhanced music quality in NEA's gallery spaces.. And, of course, if you listen very carefully when he's about, Seamus can be heard quietly singing Irish, English and Scottish folk music..

The foyer gallery, a salon in which NEA members meet up and share ideas and plans, is being transformed again. A rather sculptural new coffee machine on a hand crafted mobile counter is now in place and an even more cafe like environment envisaged.

A perk of being at a meeting at NEA on Thursday was being able to taste the first coffees made with Tim and Kylie's new coffee machine !​​

NEA members who enjoy writing and contribute to publicity, Facebook, the website and submissions play an important role at NEA. Ruth Eisemann is now actively looking at the placement of NEA marketing in relation to the tourist industry and was recently involved with Tim Bowtell in resourcing a very readable and informative front page article about NEA in a tourism insert in the Wangaratta Chronicle. NEA artisans, Beechworth glass maker Leisa Clarke and Glenrowan felter Lise Darcy, who live and work in NEA's northern catchment area, are featured. If you haven't seen it, it's on the table in the Foyer Gallery.

​Sustainability Team member Annalies describes enjoying the Water Kefir workshop held recently, with five participants providing the opportunity for her to pilot this workshop which will be repeated in 2017. Tim held his final Oil Painting workshop for 2016 on Sunday, while last week a 'Train the Trainer' program was run at NEA by Sally Wallace from Waminda. Waminda is offering this course to NEA artisans who may be anxious about conducting workshops at a reduced rate conditional upon agreement to offer a workshop through Waminda, Short notice meant that only one artisan was able to join the group and take up the reduced fee offer this time, however another Train the Train workshop is likely in 2017.

Planning for the Door of Hope Project is now well underway. Subject/Object/I - Self Mapping Through Art' with Edie Black and 'From Fibre to Felt' with Annie Longmuir are being offered from mid February to March through the Door of Hope project to people with a long term interest in arts and crafts who haven't had the opportunity, for various reasons, to have this realized. Fliers and other information will be available soon.

So much is happening .... but it soon will be time to slow down and focus on family and the festive season for a few days at least.

​Then it will be January - and another burst of activity at NEA during the World Gliding Championships. Margaret Zaal has been working with great enthusasiasm on designing new workshop formats to be offered during January, including workshops with groups of three NEA artisans and new toy workshops with Tim Schloss, It seems that the gliding championships have inspired a new Schloss range to join Tim's Swords, Shields, Axes and Kelly Guns.

Evidence that Merv Beamish, whose Pop Up Art Show continues to the end of December at Chocolate Lane, has also been inspired by the upcoming gliding championships. is evident in these photos of a 'work in progress' in his upstairs studio.

Photos: Merv Beamish

BL

**'The Occasional Blogger' is open for submissions by NEA members who may, from time to time, have a strong urge to write about their work or about NEA!. ​Send copy to bevlee47@gmail.com. ​